We’re midway through Week 4 of the fantasy hockey season, and, as always, we need to keep a keen eye on the waiver wire as it’s certain unclaimed players have plenty to offer throughout the remainder of the season and beyond.
Let’s dive in and take a look at the top waiver-wire options at the moment.
*Rostership percentages courtesy of ESPN
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NHL Fantasy Hockey Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice
Dylan Strome (C – WAS) 26.4% rostered
Strome doesn’t offer a ton in the shots, penalty minutes, or hits department, but right now, he’s worth adding due to his spot in the Capitals’ pecking order.
With Nicklas Backstrom still recovering from offseason hip surgery, Strome is getting minutes as Alex Ovechkin‘s center at even strength and on the Capitals’ top power-play unit. The offensive results have been there as he’s collected nine points in 11 games with five of those nine points coming on the power play. Strome probably offers some of, if not the most, power-play points upside on the waiver wire at the moment.
There is no timetable for Backstrom’s return, and it’s possible he could miss the entire season. Needless to say, Strome should absolutely continue to get favorable minutes in a top-six role, as he and Evgeny Kuznetsov are the only offensive-minded healthy centers on the Capitals’ depth chart.
Strome makes perfect sense for those looking for assists and power-play points moving forward.
Victor Olofsson (RW – BUF) 20.7% rostered
Olofsson has been on the brink of being a must-roster in fantasy circles for a few seasons now, but now is the time to grab a quality goal-scorer for free if you have space on your roster.
Olofsson has notched eight goals in 10 games on the season with nine points overall. His 25% shooting rate has nowhere to go but south, but he’s also averaging 3.2 shots per game on the season, so he should continue to score goals given the shot volume. That’s a whopping 262 shots on goal pace if he can stay healthy for the full 82 games this season.
He does have a pair of power-play goals on the season, but it’s disappointing to see him skating on the Sabres’ second unit. However, if he continues to score goals with the best of em’ they’ll have no choice but to promote him to the top group in place of someone like Jack Quinn.
Shooting-rate regression is a near certainty, but given the shot volume, Olofsson should continue to find the back of the net with regularity.
Shane Pinto (C – OTT) 25.2% rostered
No one likes to see their teammates out of the long haul, but the injury to Josh Norris has left Shane Pinto with a massive opportunity to grow his game with the Senators.
Originally in a third-line role, Pinto is now projected to skate alongside Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson on the Senators’ top line despite remaining on the second power-play unit. The even-strength roster positioning is a massive boon to his fantasy value, as both Tkachuk and Batherson are full-fledged fantasy assets.
His production at the NHL might be quiet, but it’s there. Through 26 career games, the 21-year-old has collected seven goals and 15 points. However, he’s also notched six goals in just nine games this season. Like with Olofsson, he sports a wildly unsustainable shooting rate, but in this case, it’s a massive 40%, the highest in the NHL. That will come down hard, but that doesn’t mean he won’t continue to produce points between the club’s top two offensive players.
Pinto appears to be an attractive dynasty addition even when Norris returns either late this season or the beginning of next, so look to capitalize on the youngster now and into the future.
Jason Zucker (LW – PIT) 6.5% rostered
It’s a little suspect to me that Zucker is seeing such low rostership, given his production and his spot in the Penguins’ lineup.
The veteran has tallied two goals and eight points in nine games for the season. Additionally, he’s fired a solid 21 shots on goal, is a plus-two rating, has two power-play points, and is contributing heavily in the hits department, with 25 of them on the campaign. If your league counts hits, he’s certainly an attractive player.
He’s also firmly entrenched as the second-line left winger for Mike Sullivan’s club, skating alongside a man called Evgeni Malkin. If you’re on a line with Malkin, you’re getting a major opportunity to put up numbers, even if Zucker is relegated to second-unit power-play duties.
This guy deserves far more rostership than he’s getting, and you’d be wise to give him strong consideration if you’re in need at the left-wing position.
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